The world is annoyingly sterilised, surfing too. I get ads for shitty surf coaching on a daily basis. Stuff you do in your living room to improve hip flexibility, workouts that target “core surfing muscles”, surf skate parcours to learn the motions even when the ocean’s flat... even breathing instructors are having a go at me ! Classic 21st century bullshit. Here’s a drop of bare bones surf culture for you.
My two cents
People are mad. These prescriptions to improve your surfing are boring and irrelevant. They pollute surf culture. Surfing’s about feeling the energy in a wave and working with it. That takes stoke, marine sense and yes, some physical condition. But that comes last - unless you’re planning on charging some heavy waves ?
Hence the importance of the above Art Brewer photo of Phil Grimes in 1977 - and the story behind it (words by Orange Coast Magazine).
Legend has it that surfer Phil Grimes, after a night of partying, showed up at Newport Beach during a historic south swell with no plans to get wet. He borrowed a board, stripped to his jeans, and styled into surfing mythology.
This is the surf culture I want to dig - the level of passion that inspires me. I did my research, nobody fucking knows Phil Grimes ! Yet the photo is era-defining. This random dude coming out of a night out, rocks up at a beach and finds perfect 10/10 conditions, borrows a board, finds the waves’ sweet spot, raises both arms as he zips down the line…in his jeans… and Art Brewer gets that on camera.
What a magical moment. Crazy how a stranger’s healthy dose of unorthodox energy crystalized something of the sport’s spirit so well.
You can’t train for that, keep it real guys ! 🤙
I think surprisingly few people know Dave Rastovich, he's an encylopedia of surf knowledge who has got to be one of the most eccentric people alive who also happens to be one of the most stylish people you'll ever see on a wave. A little snippet of his knowledge: https://youtu.be/IHiKELmVtnk?si=ZgbxSSwBlcyC0eu8